Reality of the Past
by Quirky Koala
Summary: Third part of the Jane Doe series. SaraCatherine romance.


Disclaimer: Don't own them. Not making any money.

Warning: This story contains two women in love/lust. If this offends you or is illegal where you live, please don't read any further.

A/N: The story has not been beta'd so any spelling or grammar mistakes are mine, so are any British-isms.

A/N2: As I have mentioned before this story has been sitting on my hard drive for about a year. I wrote it, but then got caught up in Uni and work so didn't post it anywhere. As a result this was written way before I saw season 6 and 'I like to Watch' (which aired on Saturday in the UK). Any likeness to that episode is the result of great minds thinking alike. (I like my version better anyway).

Title: Reality of the Past.

Sara looked at Catherine as she drove them to work. Things were going really well for them and it had been over a month. They had spent nearly every night at Catherine's and she had even moved in some clothes and a toothbrush. The one thing putting a dampener on Sara's happiness was her worry that her feelings were too deep, she wanted more from their relationship but she knew that Catherine saw her as nothing but a warm body.

"What are you smiling at?" Sara was brought back to the present by Catherine's question.

"My life." The brunette replied.

"Oh yeah? Y'know if I didn't know you better I'd say that was a 'I'm having great sex smile'. What I want to know is who are you having great sex with?" Catherine teased.

"I don't kiss and tell."

"Really? Well, I guess that means it's safe to kiss you then."

With a teasing smile Catherine went to lean over the hand break, only to stop when she saw the figure coming towards the car.

"Put that thought on hold." Catherine whispered as Nick waved at her through the window.

Sara groaned before climbing out of the car and glaring at Nick who looked completely baffled at the angry look.

"Erm, did you get your page?" He asked Catherine.

"I haven't checked." Catherine answered truthfully, her mind hadn't been on her pager.

"The entire night shift have been called to a meeting in Ecklie's office at the start of shift. Sounds like something big is happening." He informed them.

The three CSI's made their way to Ecklie's office in silence, all wondering what was happening, The only time they had been called into Ecklie's office before was during a major incident and then they were usually called into work early.

Since the two women had been lovers CSI had benefited, there was less tension in the office and when they worked together there was no explosion. In fact Ecklie wasn't the only one to comment on the fact that they seemed to be one of the best teams and the sentiment seemed to be reflected in the fact that Grissom was putting them together on a lot of difficult cases.

There was still a lot of intensity when they worked together, they still regularly pushed each others buttons and hit the nerves as a ploy to get the best out of the other, but whereas before, when it used to result in one of them exploding (usually Sara), now it pushed them to do better…and the exploding usually came later, in private.

As they walked into Ecklie's office they were shocked to see it full of people they didn't know, the rest of the night shift were crammed into a corner all sat looking baffled. Ecklie was behind his desk with a small, slim, dark haired woman stood just to his right, the rest of the strangers were perched or stood around looking intently at the group of CSI's.

"Now you are all here I'd like to introduce you to Josie Fuller, she's a producer with Showgirl pictures, a small independent production company with ties to CBS. The production company have permission from the sheriff and the major to make a fly on the wall documentary about Crime Scene Investigators and the job they do, they have specifically asked for you, Grissom, and your team." Ecklie explained.

"They might have the permission of the major and sheriff but they don't have our permission." Sara argued her body language defensive, the last thing she needed were a bunch of cameras following her every move.

"The sheriff and the major want it to happen and it will." He said glaring at Sara. "Now I'll hand you over to Miss Fuller."

"Hi, firstly I'd like to say that it's a pleasure to meet you all. I've heard about all the brilliant work all of you have done through the news and after talking to police officers they hold a very high opinion of your team. I know you'll all be worried about the interference we'll cause on your work but I want to assure you now that we will get in the way of your work as little as possible. However, we would appreciate it if you could break things down into lay-mans terms while you are working. A lot of the things you do could seem confusing to the audience we will be transmitting to and I would also like interviews with you all. Apart from that it will be work as usual, my crew and I are looking forward to working with you."

Looking at her work colleagues Catherine could see that they were all looking confused and not sure how this new dimension was going to function with their work, all that was apart from Sara who was scowling deeply at the small woman.

Grissom, who seemed to decide that the best way to go was just to pretend that the camera crew weren't there, broke the silence.

"OK, assignments." He said ignoring the cameras, which had now started to roll. "Warrick and Greg, B&E…erm, I mean breaking and entering Hassett Ave. Nick, mugging at Ra's casino. Catherine and Sara, dead body Edison Ave."

Sara snatched the assignment slip and stalked out of room, she was waiting by Catherine's car when the blonde walked out of headquarters followed by a two-man crew, which included Josie. Seeing the crew Sara scowled and crossed her arms defensively. Catherine approached shrugging apologetically as she unlocked the car and climbed into the drivers seat.

"Apparently each team gets their own camera crew."

"Yeah, each group will have a two man crew, one on camera one ready to interview, this is Mike he'll be your cameraman." Josie said pointing to the hulk of a man beside her who was wearing what looked like a waistcoat that had a camera attached, Sara guessed it was to even out the weight.

Sara sat in the passenger seat intently staring out of the window. She was listening to Josie prattle on in the back, asking questions all of which she made no attempt to answer. Luckily for the producer Catherine was more than willing to talk, although Sara noticed her shooting quite a few looks her way.

As soon as they arrived at the crime scene, a nice mid terrace house, Sara jumped out and entered the house. She met up with Brass as she entered the door.

"Hey Sara, what's with the cameras?" He asked, nodding towards where the camera crew were climbing out of the car.

"Someone decided our work should be on TV."

"Nice for you."

"Yeah, just dandy. So what have we got?"

"Amy Tyler, 25. The LVPD got a phone call from a neighbour reporting a domestic dispute, taking place at this house. The local patrol turned up around 30 minutes later, when they got no answer to their knocking they burst the door down and found the body." Brass explained walking Sara over to the lounge where a body of a young woman was led on the floor.

"Has anybody contaminated my crime scene?"

"Nope, the officer checked for a pulse but he called me when he couldn't find one."

"Thanks."

Sara ignored the camera crew as she worked on the crime scene, even though they entered just as she was putting on her gloves. She could feel the camera's on her as she took in the crime scene, assessing it with an investigators eye.

"Signs of blunt force trauma to the head." Sara said looking at the visible bruising and blood on the side of the victims' head.

"I have what looks like blood spatter on the floor and couch." Catherine replied.

They stayed at the crime scene processing for the next four hours, Josie regularly asked questions of them, all of which Sara answered with a yes or no. Sighing Josie started asking open questions trying to get more out of the closed off brunette. Sighing heavily at the persistent questioning Sara snapped a short 'Ask Catherine.'

"Why are you so against us?" Josie asks sighing.

"Because I want to do my job. I don't want to be on TV, if I did I would have become an actress."

Josie was shocked into silence and seeing the beginning of one of Sara's moods Catherine pulled the brunette aside.

"Are you OK?" She asked, the worry showing in her eyes.

"I don't want my life on TV." Sara replied not being able to stay angry with Catherine showing so much concern.

"This is important to the sheriff and Ecklie, if a report gets back that you aren't playing ball then it could be career suicide." The lead CSI tried to reason.

"Since when have I cared about what Ecklie thinks?"

"I care! You are a great CSI. I understand you're a private person, but do you have to be so hostile and bitchy?" She went on when all she got was a heavy sigh. "I'll do all the talking and all the playing nice for the camera, can you just please not insult or argue with them?"

"I'll try."

Sara kept her word and while she wasn't polite she did her best to hold her tongue as she did her job. As they pulled into the car park of the CSI headquarters, the car had hardly stopped when Sara jumped out shouting over her shoulder that she would drop the samples off to trace.

"How do you put up with her?" Josie asked as they climbed out of the car at a more sedate pace.

"Sara is one of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of working with, she is a great CSI and in my opinion she will be better than Grissom one day. You don't see the best of her because she is such a private person who isn't comfortable with a camera pointing at her and she's hostile to anything she isn't comfortable with."

"I can understand that but we had a guarantee of full cooperation."

"Not from us you didn't." Catherine argued.

"I realise that now but I thought you'd all been briefed and had agreed to this."

"I know, but do yourself a favour and just ease up on Sara, when she sees that you aren't trying to catch her out she'll relax, then you'll be treated to the real Sara Sidle…until then you'll just have to put up with me!"

"I think we can cope with that." Josie said smiling.

Three days later Catherine walked into Grissom's office looking the worse for wear. Grissom looked up raising his eyebrows at her rumpled appearance; it wasn't like Catherine to let her looks slip.

"Why did you give us this case, especially when you knew the camera crew would be here?" She ranted pacing in front of his desk. "You knew Sara wouldn't like the cameras and if it's not bad enough that she's sniping at them every five minutes we get a case with domestic violence. I feel like I'm a referee in a wrestling match."

"I didn't know this case involved domestic violence. I knew I had a murder and I decided to put my best team on it. Sara is always an incredibly focused investigator, it is what makes her so good at her job." Grissom said calmly.

"I'm worried that we are going to end up investigating the murder of the camera crew."

"She may growl at them…if you remember she used to with you, it's a way for her to vent the anger she feels at this case. You told me that you used to goad her to get the best out of her. Maybe the fact that you have stopped your bickering has made her seek another source to drive her."

"Ecklie and the sheriff want themselves to look good with this documentary, they won't stand for any of us looking bad. You know how mad Sara went when Brass said that Amy's boyfriend had disappeared, especially after we'd found evidence of domestic abuse. I'm worried about her Gil." Catherine admitted.

The three days hadn't just been hard on Catherine at work but outside work as well. In the month that the two women had been 'friends with benefits' they had been together almost every day, either spending time with Lindsay or just time quietly chatting together. Catherine enjoyed the unforced intimacy of their time together, although an annoying voice in her head kept telling her that it was something that couples would do. She had ignored the voice and just let her time with Sara unfold randomly, rather than planning the time. For the last two days, however, Sara had opted to go to her apartment rather than Catherine's house and not only had Lindsay commented on missing Sara, Catherine had been conscious of the brunette's absence every second.

The house seemed empty, quiet and less alive without the other woman's presence and Catherine felt a void in her entire being. Rather than listen to the little voice that was laughing at her, telling her that despite all the plans she had put into force she had still let the brunette into her heart, she focused on Lindsay and her disappointment over the fact that her idol was missing.

"Just keep your eye on her Cath, let her know that you're there if she needs it…" Grissom said, thinking from the pained look on the blondes face that he was missing something.

They were interrupted by Catherine's pager vibrating; she raised her eyebrows at the message she had received.

"They've found the boyfriend."

Catherine was just about to enter the interview room when she heard her name being called. She turned to see Greg running towards her, smiling he handed over a piece of paper. A quick scan of the paper had Catherine smiling as well.

"Sara just gave me the boyfriends clothes, and even though they have been washed numerous times I found traces of blood on them. I'm testing in now to see if it's a match to Amy Tyler."

"If it is we have him."

"Yeah, but it would probably be a good idea for you to get in there and get the confession. There is only Sara, Brass and the perp in there and I don't think Brass is as effective at holding Sara back as you are." The newest CSI said before disappearing back down the corridor.

Catherine entered the interview room to see Sara glaring at an overly confident man, as she sat next to the brunette she slid the results Greg has just handed her over. Sara smirked when she read the result.

"Where were you four nights ago?" She asked the man

"Out."

"Out where?"

"I was on a trip. I decided to go on a road trip."

"Was this before or after you beat and murdered your girlfriend?" Sara said standing and placing her hands on the desk in front of the man they were interviewing.

"I didn't do anything, you have no proof." He grinned up at the woman leaning over him.

"That's where you're wrong. If you murdered her then the evidence will prove it." She leaned in closer getting right in his face. "And when it shows you for the wife beating bastard you are then I'll make sure you are sentenced to death."

He stood up so quickly that the chair he was sitting on crashed to the floor. Sara was the only one who didn't flinch, although it was only Brass' quick reaction that stopped her from being punched. Brass wrapped his arm around the shoulder of the man and pulled him back as Catherine placed herself in front of Sara, placing her hands on her stomach as she used her body to back the angry woman out of the room as the boyfriend started shouting abuse at the brunette.

"What the hell was that?" Catherine asked once they were out of the room.

"He's an arrogant idiot and we both know he did it." Sara said.

Neither woman noticed the camera crew exiting the observation room with their cameras on.

"It's our jobs to use the evidence to prove he's guilty beyond reasonable doubt, not to go shouting and threatening the guy." Catherine replied.

Nick and Warrick chose this moment to walk down the corridor and enter the conversation.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Warrick asked, although he was completely ignored by both women.

"He did this, we both know he did and I'm going to nail him." Sara said never losing eye contact with Catherine.

Gritting her teeth Sara turned to walk away leaving Catherine running her hands through her hair frustrated and Nick and Warrick looking at one another baffled.

The brunette was only a couple of steps down the corridor when Josie called out her name. When Sara didn't stop she ploughed on with the question she'd wanted to ask since they had first met.

"Sara, is the reason you are taking this case so personal because of your childhood?" They all saw Sara freeze, every muscle in her body trembling with an emotion they can only guess at. "I know all about your mother murdering your abusive father."

The three CSI's held their breath as Sara turned back around to face them her face blank and all her movements measured. It was the first time Catherine couldn't read any emotions in the chocolate brown eyes that were moving from Josie, to Nick, Warrick and then to her, before turning back to pin Josie with an intense glare.

"My past has nothing to do with you or your interfering camera's." Sara ground out before turning and walking away, her movements agitated.

Nick was the first to break the shocked silence but all he managed was a mumbled 'what the hell.'

"What do you know about Sara's past?" Catherine asked turning her gaze to Josie.

"I-I.." Josie stammered seeing the burning anger in the blondes' eyes.

"Tell me."

"I only know what's public record, we checked all of you out before starting filming." Josie was surprised when Catherine took hold of her arm and steering Josie back into the observation room, asking Warrick to make sure the cameras stayed outside.

"Erm…Sara was taken into care when she was 12, the police reports say they arrived at the house after receiving a 911 call from a neighbour saying they'd heard screaming from the Sidle house. Mr Sidle was in the girls bedroom covered in blood, multiple stab wounds to his torso, Mrs Sidle was in the corner, also covered in blood and holding a carving knife, she was crying hysterically. After a search of the scene the police found Sara curled up under her bed, they said they thought she was in shock. During Sara's check up it became obvious that she was a sufferer of domestic violence, multiple bruises, old and new, and hospital reports that showed that she was a regular visitor for broken bones.

"Her mother was arrested for the murder and was taken to a secure hospital while Sara lived in care. She spent six month's in the hospital until Sara gave evidence at the trial and her mother was charged with manslaughter thanks to a plea of diminished responsibility and only got 3 years. Sara refused to go back and live with her mother though and spent the rest of her childhood in care until she got a scholarship to Harvard."

Josie watched Catherine closely as she related what she knew of the brunette's past, she had been sure that the rest of the team would know something as big as this happening to one of their colleagues. Apparently they didn't though and she had the feeling that's she had screwed up big time.

Catherine looked at Josie and seeing that the story was finished she silently left the small room. She saw Warrick and Nick looking at her quizzically but walked on past them, she had to find Sara.

Everything made sense now, the intensity that Sara had when dealing with domestic violence cases, and why she got over emotional when dealing with suspects. Catherine had only ever pushed for the answer once, and to her mistake that had been in the middle of an argument and had resulted in the brunette getting suspended. If she were truthful she knew it was partly her fault, she had questioned her about it in the middle of the corridor, it wasn't exactly a place to get someone to reveal their past torments. Something she also felt guilty about was the fact that she'd never pressed the subject, she knew if it had been one of the guys she would have followed up her questions in a more private place. They dealt with domestic violence victims almost daily, Sara had all the signs of a sufferer and Catherine had ignored it. Now was the time to stop being ignorant and help her lover deal with the past.

Catherine headed for the labs, none of the lower CSI's had officers but had claimed a lab in which to do all their paperwork and research. A quick scan showed no Sara so she headed for the garage and again came up short. She was heading to the break room when she saw Grissom in the corridor.

"Hey Gil, have you seen Sara?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just sent her home, she was in no condition for work."

Catherine sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose.

"Did you know? Did you know about Sara's parents?" She asked, she didn't need an answer as she saw Grissom's face.

"She confided in me when I went to see her after she was suspended. Is that why she was so upset five minutes ago?"

"The TV crew got hold of the information when they did background checks on us all, they confronted her in the corridor when we came out from interviewing Amy Tyler's boyfriend, she didn't take it well…I wonder what they got on all of us."

"I should go and see Sara." Gil said not sounding to enthusiastic.

"Would you mind if I went?" Catherine offered. She knew she was more of a people person than Grissom, the man was emotionally detached and from experience she knew that he didn't know what to do when someone started crying.

"Why would you want to go?"

"Sara and I have become friends lately and I want to make sure she's OK." It wasn't exactly a lie.

"OK, but let me know how it goes."

"Will do." Catherine replied, trying not to run to her car.

Catherine reached Sara's door and knocked, as she predicted she got no response. She knew that if Sara thought it was someone from work checking on her she probably wouldn't open the door. Hoping that their semi-relationship would help, Catherine shouted Sara's name as she knocked again, it didn't work. The third time the older woman bang on the door she employed tactic's she'd seen some of the LVPD do just before they burst through it on a raid.

"Sara I have your spare key so either you open the door to me or I'll use it to get in." Catherine lied, she didn't even know if Sara had a spare key, but the brunette's neighbours had stared to look out of their doors to see who was making all the noise and she really didn't want to have to explain anything to the police.

Seconds later a bedraggled looking Sara answered the door. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, her clothes wrinkled and a smell of alcohol radiating from her. She stepped back squinting angrily. When Catherine took her time measuring the other woman up she sighed angrily.

"Are you going to come in or are you planning to stand on my doorstep and stare at me?" She snapped.

"Sorry." Catherine mumbled.

"Where did you get my key from?"

"I don't have your key, I just didn't want to spend my time standing on your doorstep shouting at your door. I was pretty sure you'd leave me out there if I didn't make the threat."

"You were right." Sara replied smirking as she walked into the lounge and threw herself onto the couch.

Catherine followed her, sitting down next to her and reaching for her hand. She was hurt when the hand was pulled from her grasp.

"Talk to me. Tell me about your past." Catherine pleaded.

"Why don't you ask your friend Josie? She seems to know so much about me!"

"Because I want to hear it from you."

Sara's jaw was clenching and she was staring intently at her hands, she still wasn't speaking though.

"Please," Catherine begged. "I've talked about my past, you know lots about me but I don't know anything about you."

"I know about your past because you've told me. I haven't needed to ask you, you volunteered the information." Sara replied bitterly, still not looking at the other woman.

"Well, I guess I'm hoping you'll volunteer some information to me. I've shared my daughter, my life and my body with you, Sara. I'd like you to share some of you with me." The blonde tried to coax.

"Oh please. You made it clear that all you wanted from me was a fuck buddy, no complication just someone to make you scream…and as far as I can tell I did that." Sara spat, she knew she was venting her frustrations, unfairly, on Catherine but she didn't seem able to stop it.

"The term I used was friends with benefits, friends share things…secrets, desires, torments…I want to help you Sara but I can't do that if you won't let me in."

"Josie said it all, my dad used to beat me and my mom murdered him. Story of my life, it's not important now." The words sounded bitter but Sara had been looking stubbornly at the floor.

"If it's not important why is it effecting you so much?" Catherine asked pleased when the brunette's head shot up and she could see into the chocolate brown eyes.

"Who said..? You know nothing about my childhood." Sara's words sounded harsh but there was no anger in her eyes, just some hollow sadness.

"I know I don't, that's why I want you to tell me so that I can try and help you."

Sara's head dropped and Catherine thought the conversation was over; Sara had shut her out of her life again. It took her a couple of seconds before she saw the brunette's shoulders start to shake and realised that she was crying. Scooting closer Catherine wrapped her arms around Sara and brought her head to rest on her shoulder, rocking her back and forth as she cried.

Through the sobs Catherine learnt the story of Sara's past, it was fragmented and broken with sobs, but it painted a picture of a small, feeble child fighting to survive in a violent household. Catherine felt her heart go out to her lover, she found it hard to believe anyone could do that to their child, but imagining Sara as a child made it doubly hard.

After she had finished her tale Catherine continued holding Sara as she sobbed, she muttered nonsense words as she felt Sara get calmer and as she felt the brunette's breathing even out, she carried on the rocking motion.

They stayed that way for a while until Catherine felt it was safe to move away and when she did she found that her suspicions were correct, Sara had cried herself to sleep. The emotions of the day had made her exhausted.

The blonde knew she couldn't get Sara to bed on her own and she hated to wake her, on the other hand her settee wasn't the comfiest and it would be a few inches to short for Sara when she was laying on it.

Even after being shaken lightly awake, the younger woman could barely keep her eyes open while she was walking to her room and if it weren't for Catherine's support she wouldn't have made it.

The younger woman flopped bonelessly to the bed as soon as she was in reach, and only roused herself briefly to protest when she felt her lover start to strip her clothes off.

"It's only to make you more comfortable while you sleep." Catherine said. "When I join you it'll just be to cuddle."

As soon as the comforter was tucked under her chin Sara returned to sleep.

Catherine stayed with her for a moment making sure it was a restful sleep rather than the nightmares she knew the brunette sometimes suffered, when she saw Sara was sleeping soundly she moved into the living room where a phone was located and dialled the number she knew by heart.

"Gil, it's Catherine."

"Catherine, how's Sara?"

"Not to good…she cried herself to sleep, I'm going to stop with her at least for tonight. I think it'll be best if she takes some personal days."

"OK…how many?"

"I have the next three days off. I'd booked them so I could spend the bank holiday with Lindsay. I was thinking of trying to talk Sara into joining us on our days out."

"Well, I can't say we won't miss you both for three days, if you can talk Sara into taking the time off, but I imagine we'll cope. I'll pass your current case onto Warrick."

"Thanks, Gil."

"If anyone can help her it's you Catherine."

"I hope so Gil, I really do." She whispered before hanging up. She returned to the bed to find Sara curled up and still sleeping soundly. Stripping she joined her lover.

It had been two days since Sara's emotional breakdown and, much to Catherine's relief; the younger woman had spent all 48 hours in the Willow's women's presence. At first, after waking up, she had been depressed and had refused to talk. After Lindsay was dropped of at her apartment under Catherine's instructions she seemed to cheer up slightly.

Catherine had done her best to explain to her daughter why Sara was unhappy, and looking sad at the fact that her favourite playmate wasn't happy Lindsay had done something Catherine never expected her to do.

Walking up to Sara she sat next to her and took her hand, then snuggling close to her taller friend Lindsay told her that it was OK to be sad, she had explained that after her dad had died she had been really sad but her councillor had said it was OK, sometimes you needed to be sad.

Catherine had been worried for a moment as she saw Sara's eyes tear up again, that was until she saw Sara snake her arms around the small child and hug her to her in a bear hug.

Surprisingly the brunette had agreed to go on the day out with them. Catherine had promised Lindsay that she could go to the lion habitat at the MGM Grand hotel; at the moment the small girl seemed to have a fascination with lions. Of course Catherine knew that the visit would turn into a day out because of the gameworks arcade and the M&M factory and coca cola store also at the MGM Grand. Not that the blonde would tell anyone but she was actually looking forward to going to the M&M factory and she had heard that the gameworks had some really good restaurants.

As the day had gone on Catherine found herself surprised to admit that she was really enjoying herself, some of the lion cubs had been really cute and as Lindsay had managed to draw the brooding Sara out of herself, she had even smiled a couple of times. They'd had a really good meal and then the three females had challenged each other on the Indy 500 car racing game (well Lindsay had challenged Catherine and Sara had been dragged into it.), of course Catherine had won, which Lindsay and Sara had joked that was down to her suicidal driving and the fact that she had nudged Sara off the road.

They had arrived back at Catherine's all tired and with lighter pockets. The blonde had immediately put her daughter to bed and when she had arrived back downstairs had found Sara fidgeting nervously in the doorway to the lounge. Reading her body language Catherine knew she was going to make some excuse and run for the door.

"Stay tonight?" Catherine had asked pre-empting her.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"I'm not asking for sex, I just want to hold you while you sleep and make sure you're OK."

"I don't need a baby sitter." Sara scowled.

"Good, because I'm not being one. I want the comfort as much as you do."

"I don't know Catherine." Sara said uncertainly.

"I'm not going to force you to talk about anything, I'm here if you want to talk about it but I know your need for privacy and therefore I'm going to wait for you to start any conversation on your childhood. I will say that I'm glad you told me though." As she was speaking she had moved towards the other woman and now lifting her hand she caressed Sara's cheek, please when the other woman leaned into the touch.

Nodding silently, Sara let Catherine lead her up the stairs and to her bedroom.

The second day had been spent at the beach. Catherine knew that Sara had grown up near the beach and had heard her in the past comment to Greg that it was one part of her childhood that she really missed.

Of course when she had suggested it Lindsay's face had lit up, she had put off agreeing until she had asked Sara though. Sara had readily agreed saying she liked the beach, to which Lindsay quizzed her and even wheedled a promise of surfing lessons out of her taller friend. By the time they got back that day Catherine was pleased to see that the brunette was almost back to the old Sara Sidle. There was still sadness in her eyes but she didn't seem depressed anymore. She had even initiated a number of hugs and a kiss between them.

What had Catherine worried was that she had just received a called from Grissom; he had said he needed them in his office the next morning. Apparently one of the cases the two women had worked on earlier in the year had just been reopened, unfortunately it was now a cross-jurisdiction case and a CSI from another state was arriving to review their evidence, which meant both Sara and Catherine would need to be present.

The brunette hadn't seemed bothered when she had been told but Catherine was worried how she would react when she got to the office. With the way gossip travelled in the lab everyone would now undoubtedly know the story and Sara's reaction, and if the camera crew was still present, which she was sure they would be the blonde wasn't sure what Sara would do.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid you know." Sara said sitting next to Catherine on the sofa and resting her head on the blondes shoulder.

Realising that she had been staring at the TV without seeing what was on it she switched it off.

"I know, I guess I'm just worried, everyone will have heard, and Josie will still be there with her cameras."

"I know, I'll just take it as it comes. I've been coping with this my entire life the only difference now is that everyone knows." Sara paused for a moment as if contemplating something, she then looked directly into Catherine's eyes. "There is actually another difference, now I have someone to support me. Someone who will listen to me if I need it or just hold me if I need that. I've never had that before."

"I'm here anytime you need me." Catherine promised without pause.

"Thank you." Sara whispered before leaning forward and stealing Catherine's breath with a kiss.


End file.
